Nestle moves to simplify ingredients in ice cream

OAKLAND, CALIF. — Nestle S.A. is making a move to simplify ingredients across six of its top ice cream brands: Dreyer’s, Häagen-Dazs, Outshine, Skinny Cow, Nestle Ice Cream and Nestle Drumstick. The initiative is the latest in a series of efforts from the company to update existing products across the entire portfolio of brands.

In total, the move will affect more than 100 products, Nestle said. Changes include the removal of artificial colors and flavors, high-fructose corn syrup and bioengineered ingredients, as well as a switch to fresh milk from cows not treated with rBST, the addition of more real fruit or fruit juice and a reduction in sugar by an average of 11% on select products.

In December of last year, Nestle also announced that it will transition to using only cage-free eggs in all of its U.S. food products, including ice cream, within the next five years. Nationwide roll-out for the newly updated products began in March.

“Nestle Dreyer’s Ice Cream understands that consumers want to know what’s in their food, where those ingredients come from and how the food products they purchase are made,” said Robert Kilmer, president of Nestle Dreyer’s Ice Cream. “We are the industry leader when it comes to innovation and, as consumer demand centers on transparency and choice, we are responding with new ways to make ice cream even better. Using simpler ingredients that our consumers can recognize, and removing those that don’t belong, is a natural next step for our brands.”

Nestle said nine of its most popular Dreyer’s Slow Churned flavors will now be branded Slow Churned Simple Recipes, to reflect their simpler ingredient profile. The new recipes feature a label with 7 or 8 ingredients, down from an average of 22.

As part of the effort, Nestle said nine of its most popular Dreyer’s Slow Churned flavors will now be branded Slow Churned Simple Recipes, to reflect their simpler ingredient profile. The new recipes feature a label with 7 or 8 ingredients, down from an average of 22. Additional changes include the removal of all artificial colors and flavors, high-fructose corn syrup and bioengineered ingredients along with the addition of fresh milk from cows not treated with rBST. Examples of specific ingredients removed include carrageenan and xanthan gum, replaced with ingredients such as pectin. Nestle said Michael Sharp, research scientist, led a team that analyzed every ingredient and recipe to determine the opportunity to simplify the ingredient list.

“Our mission is to deliver the best product for the consumer,” Mr. Sharp said. “In the case of Simple Recipes, this meant maintaining the great taste and texture of an established and well-liked product with simpler ingredients that consumers understand.”

Nestle said it plans to update the remaining Slow Churned flavors by the end of 2017 and will continue to update other products across all brands in its portfolio.